On Writing Well: Read It and Write Better

Ever have difficulty writing a nonfiction piece? We all know that the struggle is real. However, with the help of William Zinsser’s On Writing Well, which provides great insight into the secrets of being a proficient nonfiction writer, the difficulties may diminish. This book can provide useful information for writers, editors, reporters, teachers, students, or anyone else who wants to improve their writing. Beginning his writing career on the New York Herald Tribune in 1946 and serving as a writing professor at Yale, Zinsser clearly is knowledgeable about the craft of writing (Eastland). On Writing Well, although first published in 1976, has become a timeless guide to writing nonfiction and is still relevant today.

Zinsser has divided his book into four parts titled “Principles”, “Methods”, “Forms”, and “Attitudes”. Part One focuses on topics such as simplicity, words, usage. Part Two explains the aspects of unity, leads and endings, and other miscellaneous concepts such as parts of speech and punctuation. The third part is about how we can approach different disciplines in nonfiction writing. The last part is written about the outlook that you should have before approaching a writing assignment. Within each section are various chapters that focus on a different aspect of writing, a feature I really like because the organization allows one to learn one aspect of good writing at a time. Therefore the information is not overpowering and can be readily obtained. It is also useful because if you want to focus specifically on writing about business writing and writing in your job, you could read that precise section. An index is also provided in the back for easy reference.

The book is written in a straightforward and clear style, making it very easy to follow. He writes as if he is speaking to you, so the book feels very personal. You can tell that the advice he gives is used in his own writing. Zinsser creates clear and simple sentences, which are one of the things he strongly advocates. He gives simple advice for the complex task of writing because he considers that “all writing is ultimately a question of solving a problem” (Zinsser 49). I believe that anybody who reads this book will get something out of it because he appears extremely experienced in writing and is very honest about the processes that writers should follow. He includes information about both personal and professional writing, so he covers the complete scope of nonfiction writing. Even though he is a very experienced writer, I like how he also seems relatable because he admits that writing is not something that comes naturally to him. Rather, it is a task that he must turn a mental switch on and work hard at. It is nice to know that all writers need to put effort in their writing, even those who are as respected as Zinsser. Zinsser shows that he understands “every writer is starting form a different point and is bound for a different destination”, so the advice he gives can be helpful for a range of beginning to advanced writers (Zinsser 79).

Zinsser includes many passages of good and bad writing to prove a certain point he is trying to make. Sometimes the examples, like the ones about making short paragraphs, are very effective because they are precise and obviously support what he is stating. On page 81, he puts a side by side comparison of the same passage, one with disruptive paragraphs and the other with logical organization, and clearly explains how one is better than the other. However, when he continues to list passage after passage of examples, such as in the science and technology chapter, the examples can become overwhelming and easy to glaze over.

One criticism that I have is that the author gives contradictory advice throughout the book. In the chapter about audience, he states that a writer must write for himself and only focus on writing for himself. If his own writing pleases him, then it must be able to reach a certain audience who will appreciate his writing as well. However, in later chapters, he mentions that the writer must consider the audience he is writing for. After telling his readers to avoid writing this way or approach writing in another way, near the end he states that you should “Do what you want to do... Then do it” (Zinsser 284), which negates what he has been saying throughout the whole book as well. I also believe that it is possible to make the sentences he wrote even simpler. When one of the main messages he is trying to get across to his readers is writing with simplicity, he has rather wordy sentences and pedantic phrases such as when he discusses how institutions "acquiesce in the process of being pumped up and dried out, preoccupied with their high technology" (Zinsser 178) I feel like many of his statements can be simplified. He also references a lot of literary works and authors that he finds embody an example of good writing, but the average person may not be able to recognize the references he is trying to make. I found myself having to perform an internet search on many things he mentioned like what “Kafkaesque” means and who George S. Kaufman is.

Overall the book is competent in its goal of guiding a person toward great nonfiction writing. Zinsser’s warm personality that sounds as if he is speaking to you and his direct approach toward writing make it an easy read. He gives sound advice on how to approach this complicated craft. It is a great teaching tool and by the end of the book, you will be able to approach writing nonfiction with more confidence and with a more relaxed state of mind.

Works Cited

Eastland, Chris. "William Zinsser." William Zinsser Writer. William K. Zinsser, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Zinsser, William. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction. 25th Anniversary ed. New York City: HarperCollins, 2001. Print.